Deryk Wylde sent me this Gordon Francis photo, and Deryk knows this bike better than most ? well he rebuilt it for Jock Wilson to the standard it is today. even remoulding a seat unit for the bike. Enjoy the story below.

***

Now the story so far by the Guy who rode the bike in the test. Justyn Norek Jr.

Here is story of ARIEL 786 GON as narrated by owner.

As my English is very bad, can I ask you for help to correct errors and improve expressions?

Please change it as much as necessary and as you want.

Soon I will send you in another email technical characteristics and ride impressions.

Thank you for help....

Best regards Justyn

Sammy Miller’s ARIEL 786 GON trial test.

Some history.

When trials enthusiast think about history of motorcycle trials, he thinks "Sammy Miller", and when you think Sammy Miller you think "ARIEL".

This motorcycle is such important ICON and milestone in trials.

It really separates two eras of trials history, Pre 65 and after. This is so, as genius of Sammy Miller has brought his ARIEL to optimum of technical development,

And than killed it, with two stroke Bultaco Sherpa.

Another incredible project that created another ICON of DESIGN.

Coming back to ARIEL story, only two ORIGINAL bikes exist, they had registration numbers GOV 132 and second one has 786 GON.

Both were extensively used in competition by Sammy, even if more "famous" is GOV 132, which was more frequently used in trials and photographed,

While it's twin brother 786 GON was kind of spare machine and source of spare parts as well, but was technically developed to identical level.

So what has happened with these incredible machines when Sammy decided to face new challenge of designing new concept of trials bike for BULTACO?

Sammy has bought both bikes when he left ARIEL in 1965 and year later sold both to UK Bultaco distributor and trials bikes specialist COMERFORDS,

Who put both bikes "for sale" with price tag £ 425 for GOV 132, and £ 350 for 786 GON as it was less famous despite represented same level of technical specification.

In 1970 GOV 132 was bought by famous trials journalist and expert "Ralph Venables" who asked Sammy to put it into perfect condition and then,

Gave it as gift toNational Motor Museum at Beaulieuwith one restriction it must not be ever soldout of Great Britain!

In about 1983 Sammy starts riding in pre 65 trials on exact copy of GOV 132,which he has build from spares, and which now you can admire in his Sammy Miller

Museum in New Milton, Hants.

But what has happened to other ARIEL 786 GON?

When Ariel’s were put "for sale" by Comerfords, one of Comerfords employee Jock Wilson was already dreaming about buying this bike.

Well GOV 132 was very expensive so his eye was on 786 GON still expensive at £ 350 (brand new Greeves trials cos-ted £ 207 at that time...) year more

Affordable.

However in February 1965 786 GON was sold to Arthur Fowler sidecar trials rider who anyway didn't convert bike to sidecar outfit, but lended it to Jock Wilson who used it successfully in trials. At the end of this year Fowler put 786 GON back to Comerforfords for sale and this time Jock has realized his dream and bought it.

Jock has used the bike in many trials including Scottish in 1967 with good result, winning sub 500 classes.

Than he sold 786 GON to another rider Harry Rayner, who used it for 18 months but without much success, and he decided to sell it to another rider John Parry

Who after more or less the same period decided to sell it and 786 GON comes back into hands of Jock Wilson

. Bike is well battered and Jock restores it to perfection and keeps it,

not using in competition. Many have tried to buy it from Jock, but he was reluctant to sell it, until 1988 when bike changed hands and was acquired by Ernie Page.

He bought it because of his passion for trials, to exhibit it as an art piece on some occasions and for his son trials rider. It was then sold on to Roy Kerr. and another english collector.

But time passes and changes everything and bike is for sale again and it' s XXI st century now.

News that it' s for sale arrives to Italian trials enthusiast and lover of trials bikes Carlo Ramella who first doesn't want to believe it, and after double verification,

Immediately and spontaneously decide to buy it! Now it' s his!

We have common Friend PIPPO BARTORILLA, excellent trials rider himself, so we asked if Carlo could show us 786 GON and take some photos.

Not only he has agreed, but he also offered us a ride on this piece or art. And that is how we came to visit his mountain chalet in Alps where we could take photos

And enjoyed ride on this legendary bike.

Impressions of this ride next .

Best regards Justyn

Ariel riding impressions

Here are riding impressions by Justyn Jr.

So the day of test of ARIEL 15.08.2013 has come.

Cannot hide my excitement as we arrive to PUY, small and beautiful village in Italian Alps some 40 km west from

Sestriere, location of 2006 Winter Olympic Games. (See photo of Puy)

We park our "VW Golf" on mountain road and are welcomed by Carlo Ramella and his friend, and exellant trials rider PIPPO BARTORILLA.

But where is "our" ARIEL ?

He is still in the mountain shed waiting for us.”

I haven’t ridden it since last year" Carlo says, and I start having doubt if we can start it?

But with help of Pippo and some kicks bike start’s "talking”, so slowly I think engine will stop in next instant, instead it keeps on running. Low revs of engine are impressive by today standards and after warming it up its our rider's turn now.

Our "tester" is Justyn Norek Jr. MTB DH racer among top ten in Italy and keen snowboarder, old and modern trials rider so he has lot of experience.

Yet he has never rode such a bike. I see excitement in his eyes, mixed with some tension and respect.

He tries clutch and brakes several times and very slowly balancing let the Ariel GON down the stairs from shed.

Now he rides down the road several times slowly to get used to the

bike’s balance and feel of brakes and controls.

Slowly we see him more and more at home on the bike, despite it being quite an heavy machine.

Before the ride we studied all photos of Sammy on his ARIEL published in various books, to catch up with his "body lean" technique.

Now we understand this expression much better, bike needs to be kept as much as possibly vertically, correcting with "body lean" balance.

So now it's time to walk to forest and try to mimic some Sammy's photos, we choose to take off helmet and substitute it with typical cup and pair of vintage

Carrera 98-2S goggles similar to those used by Sammy in 60's.

Justyn Jr. looks now perfectly at home on bike, keeping it always pretty vertical and balancing with body on tight uphill turns.

Revs can be incredibly low and bike still pulls away with low sound, really "thump" onomatopoeic expression is best, more similar to locomotive than modern bike...

On steep descents bike is rather tricky due to it' weight and tires having some years now.... as well drum brakes!

5/. Kick-starter and gear shift lever bored out to shave some more weight of this bike,

6/. Speedometer mounted on top of engine carter and protected by aluminum shield from mud etc.

Not the easiest way to look at, speed but who does it in SLOWEST of all motorcycle.

This is only the start of this page more pictures later .Just needed to get the page on Quickly.

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OK The following pictures of 786 GON. were sent to me by Roy Kerr in 2006.

And credit to these photographs are to Roy Kerr.

Roy still owned, or had only just sold the bike then, and only sold It to be able to start his own business.

Enjoy.

Roy's Last ride on the Famous 786GON.

This is the back wheel with Alloy sprocket and carrier, said to have come from GOV132.

The other side of 786GON rear wheel don't forget this was 400X19".

And the front wheel with Ariel Leader alloy hub, and titanium spindle. also said to be from GOV132.

The timing side of the bike.

Note the drilling's for lightness, even the shafts that were then plugged with Nylon.

The silencer was one made up by Deryk Wylde, when he rebuilt the bike to replace the one that had corroded, Deryk also re-fabricated other broken and over worn parts, including replacing the alloy seat strut, that had to be replaced with a steel replacment. was this only fitted to GOV132?

Here is a better view of the Nylon plugging that Sam did.

Now the drive side of 786 GON.

The difference between GOV and GON was this drive side?

GOV132 had a Glass-Fiber chain-case, where has you can see GON has an Alloy One,

Although with the AMC-Burman shorter shaft fitted it was still 2" narrower than the original out side Ariel clutch.

One Question Is ,was this Alloy case a replacement for an earlier fitted Glass-Fiber Unit? fitted when Deryk restored this Sammy Miller Ariel Trials bike.

What a tremendous shot this is of 786 GON, and says it all about the superb design of the Miller Machines, and for Deryk's skill on rebuilding the bike. The magneto was also rewound by this magician of Text and Material's skill.

Deryk said that he had to make a new mould for the rear mudguard section because the copy ones then available from other suppliers were just to wide. and the shape different than these Butler Mouldings.